Clothes drier



P 1964 T. c HOL KA ETAL 3,130,838

CLOTHES DRIER Filed Aug. 23, 1961 F762 THO/1A3 C Houm I 1 BY CHflELEjJI H0009!) I 46 I ML o/v, SETTLE (3 Clan/a ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,130,838 CLGTHES DRIER Thomas C. Holha, 7581 Dohel, and Charles .F. Haddatl, 133 ill. Margaret, both of Detroit, Mich. Filed Aug. 23, 19 61, Ser. No. 133,359 2 Claims. Cl. 211--113) This invention relates to a clothes drier and more particularly to a clothes drier especially adapted for dripdry fabrics.

Drip-dry fabrics save enjoyed wide popularity in recent years. These fabrics are not easily wettable with water and water will quickly run off the fabric after it is washed to provide rapid drying. Use of such fabrics is particularly adapted for clothes used when travelling because they may be easily Washed and dried in a hotel room. These fabrics are also very popular for regular clothes, particularly in connection with shirts and summer clothes. Drip-dry clothes may be conveniently washed in the evening, set up to dry and worn again the next day with a minimum of pressing.

One problem which has been encountered with the use of such fabrics is that the rapid run off of water tends to stain the floor or bathtub over which the wet clothes are hung. This results from the small amount of soap or detergent remaining in the water after the clothes are rinsed. In addition to causing staining, the water which runs off the fabric wets the floor or other area over which the clothes are hung thus creating a clean-up problem.

The present invention provides a solution to the problem involved in drying drip-dry clothes by providing an enclosure in which the clothes may be dried without dripping water onto the floor. A secondary advantage of the present invention resides in that the clothes are hung within a compact unit of pleasing appearance to thus avoid the unsightliness of clothes hanging up to dry in the bathroom or other areas of the house. It will be appreciated, however, that while the invention is described in connection with drip-dry fabrics, it is also useful in drying conventional fabrics.

It is an object of the invention to provide a clothes drier particularly adapted for use in connection with dripdry clothes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes drier having a tidy appearance and which will conceal the clothes being dried.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothes drier construction having a detachable basket to carry the clothes from the washing area to the drier without dripping water onto the floor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel handle arrangement on the clothes basket which facilitates carrying of the basket and which is utilized to fasten the basket to the main enclosure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a water catch basin for the clothes drier having side walls portions configured to prevent the splash of water onto the floor area.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in one embodiment, a clothes drier having a structure which permits ventilation of the interior thereof but which conceals the contents from observation.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in perspective of the clothes basket of the FIGURE 1 embodiment;

3,130,838 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 FIGURE 3 is a partial view of the structure of FIG- URE 1 showing the cooperative relationship between the enclosure and the clothes basket; and

FIGURE 4 is a end elevational view of the upper portion of another embodiment of the invention.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the clothes drier 10 includes a main enclosure 12 and a clothes basket 14 which is hung therefrom. The enclosure 12 comprises three vertical walls 16, 18, 20 of a flexible plastic screen material. The front, top and bottom of the enclosure 12 are open. While a plastic screen material has been shown, it will be appreciated that any material having openings therein for ventilation will serve a similar purpose. Additionally, the open front and top of the enclosure provide ventilation for the enclosure interior which is adequate for some types of fabrics. Upper and lower rectangular rod frame constructions 22, 24 are provided to support and form the desired rectangular configuration of the enclosure. The upper and lower marginal edge portions of the walls are wrapped around the frames 22, 24 and sewn along seams 26, 28 to secure the frames to the walls.

A hanger support rod 39 extends transversely of the upper frame 22 and is secured to frame members 32, 34. A pair of hook elements 36, 38 are pivotally attached to the rod 30 to facilitate hanging the enclosure on a fixed elongated support element 40. The support element 40 may be any convenient rod commonly provided in the home for the hanging of clothes.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the clothes basket 14 is open topped and has side walls 42, 44, and walls 46, 48 and a bottom wall 50. A rectangular rod frame 52 is secured to the upper marginal edges of the side and end walls by overlapping the edges of the walls around the frame elements and sewing along the seams 54.

The wall portions of the basket are fabricated from a flexible water impervious material such as plastic to receive and retain any water which drips therein. As will be noted, the side and end walls 424l8 slant inwardly from the frame 52 towards the bottom wall 549. This construction prevents water from splashing out of the basket onto the floor. When a drop of water drips into the central portion of the basket, the splash created thereby will not have suflicient force to travel to the top and over the side and end Walls of the basket. Drops of water falling adjacent the outer edges of the basket will strike the side or end walls rather than the bottom wall. Due to the slanting nature of these walls, the splash created by these drops of water will be directed downwardly and inwardly towards the bottom of the basket and will eventually be dissipated without splashing from the basket.

The basket frame 52 is constructed with individual elongated side elements 56, 58 which are secured to end elements 60, 62 by winding the ends of the elements 56, 58 around the elements 60, 62. Each end element 69, 62 is formed with a handle portion 64, 66. Each of the handles is formed by bending spaced apart sections 68, 7t) inwardly towards the center of the basket and then outwardly from the center of the basket to terminate in a web portion 72, which extends beyond the end walls of the basket.

As will be appreciated, the handles 64, 66 may be grasped by the user to lift the basket. However, the handles also serve to mount the basket onto the lower frame 24 of the enclosure 12. Referring to FIGURES l and 3, it will be seen that the handles 64, 66 are seated on end portions 74, 76 of the lower frame. The wall 18 of the enclosure is provided with an opening '78 for the insertion of the handle 66 therethrough. The basket may be mounted on the enclosure by orienting the basket so that the handles are beneath diagonally opposite corners of the frame 24. The basket is then lifted upwardly until the handles are within the enclosure. The basket is then swung into the position shown. It will be noted that the side walls 42., 44 of the basket are spaced further apart at their upper edges 43, 45 than are the lower edges 17, 19 of the enclosure walls 16, 20. This serves to catch and funnel the water from these walls into the basket. The upper edges 47, 49 of the basket end walls are substantially directly beneath the end edges 51, 53 of the enclosure. The clothes hung in the drier do not touch the ends and consequently water does not drip from the edges 51, 53.

In use of the clothes drier, wet clothes are placed in the basket 14 and carried to the enclosure 12. The basket 14 is then mounted on the frame 24 as abovedescribed. Access to the clothes is provided by the open front of the enclosure 12. Each item of clothing is then picked up and hung by a hanger onto the rod 32, as indicated in dotted lines by the hanger 80 and dress 82. The rod 30 may be configured in a sinuous pattern as shown to assist in spacing the clothes therealong. Ventilation for evaporating water from the clothes is provided by the openings in the screen side walls of the enclosure 12 and by the open top and front of the enclosure. When not in use, the enclosure 12 and basket 14 may be collapsed into a compact storage bundle.

FIGURE 4 illustrates another embodiment of the enclosure. FIGURE 4 illustrates an enclosure 84 having louvered side walls 86, 88 and end walls 90. Each of these wall members is constructed of slats 92 which slant inwardly and downwardly towards the center of the enclosure. Water impinging on the slats will drip into the enclosure. The spaces between the slats provide ventilation for the interior of the enclosure. However, the louvered construction conceals the contents of the enclosure and prevents observation thereof by a person standing outside of the enclosure. This concealment feature is desirable where the clothes are to be hung in an area of the house where they may be observed by visitors.

Various modifications of the disclosed invention are possible. For example, if desired a flap may be provided on the open front end of the enclosure and a top wall may be provided on the enclosure to completely enclose the clothes after they have been hung. Additionally, the clothes basket may be made an integral part of the enclosure rather than being provided as a detachable unit as shown.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A clothes drier for drying clothes indoors comprising an enclosure for clothes; said enclosure having flexible side walls with ventilating openings therein for ventilating the enclosure interior; said side walls having an access opening for permitting the hanging of clothes therein; an upper support frame on the upper end of said side walls and a lower support frame on the lower end of said side walls; means extending upwardly from the upper support frame and exteriorly of the enclosure for suspending the clothes drier from a support; a support structure carried by the upper supporting frame for hanging clothes within the enclosure; and a basket detachably mounted on the lower support frame; said basket being water impervious for containing wet clothes prior to hanging of the clothes in the enclosure and for collecting water which drips from wet clothes hung in the enclosure.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 and further characterized in that said side walls are louvered to provide openings for ventilating the enclosure interior while concealing the contents thereof from external view; said louvered side walls comprising a plurality of generally horizontally extending slats, the plane of the slats being angled inwardly and downwardly towards the center of the enclosure so that water impinging thereon will flow from the slats into the enclosure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,183,500 Smith May 16, 1916 1,483,666 Kovarik Feb. 12, 1924 1,768,598 Hofferberth July 1, 1930 1,871,035 Burns Aug. 9, 1932 1,901,895 Cheney Mar. 21, 1933 2,194,388 Haugh Mar. 19, 1940 2,407,959 Littlejohn Sept. 17, 1946 2,645,541 Mintz July 14, 1953 2,828,864 Evans Apr. 1, 1958 

1. A CLOTHES DRIER FOR DRYING CLOTHES INDOORS COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE FOR CLOTHES; SAID ENCLOSURE HAVING FLEXIBLE SIDE WALLS WITH VENTILATING OPENINGS THEREIN FOR VENTILATING THE ENCLOSURE INTERIOR; SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING AN ACCESS OPENING FOR PERMITTING THE HANGING OF CLOTHES THEREIN; AN UPPER SUPPORT FRAME ON THE UPPER END OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND A LOWER SUPPORT FRAME ON THE LOWER END OF SAID SIDE WALLS; MEANS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE UPPER SUPPORT FRAME AND EXTERIORLY OF THE ENCLOSURE FOR SUSPENDING THE CLOTHES DRIER FROM A SUPPORT; A SUPPORT STRUCTURE CARRIED BY THE UPPER SUPPORTING FRAME FOR HANGING CLOTHES WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE; AND A BASKET DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON THE LOWER SUPPORT FRAME; SAID BASKET BEING WATER IMPERVIOUS FOR CONTAINING WET CLOTHES PRIOR TO HANGING OF THE CLOTHES IN THE ENCLOSURE AND FOR COLLECT- 